Ascentia: Pathways to Community Living

Education

Ascentia wants you to feel comfortable in the fact that families can benefit from participating in a family group. There are specific things that a family can do to help their family member manage symptoms and improve their quality of life, thereby improving the lives of the entire family. Ascentia’s Family Education program offers you skills that will improve your family relationships, such as communication techniques, problem-solving methods, limit setting, and anger management. In addition, you will:

Become educated about the different diagnoses, their symptoms, and treatments
Learn how to use problem-solving skills in your daily interactions
Learn how to manage stress
Increase your social support network
Learn how to prevent relapse
Accept and deal with feelings of grieving
Achieve a healthier familial relationship

With that in mind, we encourage you to take responsibility for choosing a plan of action that will best meet the needs of your family. The Family Program includes the following:

A Family Systems Assessment: You will meet with the Family Program Specialist to complete a Family Systems Assessment to individualize the needs of the participants.

The Family Education Workshop: A two-hour educational seminar covering four key areas.

(1) What is mental illness?
(2) Classes of diagnoses and treatment modalities.
(3) Social aspects of mental illness and grieving.
(4) coping skills and community resources.

The Multi-Family Group: Weekly one and an half-hour group sessions attended by the family members and the clients. The group focuses on problem-solving, skill building and support. Participants are asked to make a commitment to attend weekly group sessions for six months.

The Family Program meets every Thursday from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm at The Psychobiology Clinic, 12200 Fairhill Rd, Cleveland, Ohio 44120.To register for this FREE Family Program, please contact Shirley Mosley at 216.378.3425.

Advocacy

Helps resolve issues regarding services and benefits with state and local authorities or with public school entities.
Links families with mentoring programs
Provides education and training to families
Coordinates with staff to provide family advocacy and respite services
Orientation Manual for families who have family members living in a home or support service of Ascentia.

Out With People
The Out With People (OWP) group started in 1997 to enhance the involvement of persons with developmental disabilities in JFSA’s MR/DD residential program and to advance the concepts of self-advocacy. Since its beginning, the group has elected officers from their members and held monthly meetings. Membership has grown to over fifty consumers. Officers have been assisted by staff to understand their leadership roles and the members have planned monthly social functions, birthday parties and holiday get-togethers. They are very involved in legislative efforts and disability awareness efforts. In September, 2000, OWP was honored by the Center for Mental Retardation with their Distinguished Service Award.

Several members of OWP participate on the Executive Committee of People First and were involved in planning and chairing this year’s state conference for People First. Clara Sacharow, a member of OWP was the state-wide chair. Members of OWP won several awards at this conference.

All of these activities have led to the feeling among consumers served by JFSA that persons with developmental disabilities can take control of their lives, be involved I service planning, make key decisions about the kinds of services they receive, and most importantly, have a voice in the legislative and political decisions that affect them. Fostering this person-centered approach and helping to build the concept of self-advocacy is an import part of the on-going work of the Out With People group. Under the leadership of Walter Mayhew, President, Out With People meets the first Monday of every month at the Drost Family Center, 24075 Commerce Park Road, Beachwood, from 7:30-9:30pm.

Parents for Parents
One of the key components of the JFSA’s Ascentia program is the participation and input by family members of clients. One of these components is the MRDD Parents Committee. The MRDD Parents Committee is directed by parents, siblings, or other family members who have a loved one served by the MRDD program of Ascentia.

The purpose of this committee is to provide MRDD families the opportunity to address quality of life issues for their loved one. It is our goal to have participants express their views on what they value as a quality of life concern and then pass this information to the Ascentia Cabinet.

Discussions have been very stimulating and the information shared is always a learning endeavor. In addition, Ascentia staff members are invited for a portion of the meeting to explain a particular part of the MRDD program and to provide time for parents or siblings to ask questions.

Meetings are held periodically with letters sent to MRDD families informing them of the time, place and agenda. We hope to see you at one of these meetings Your input is essential and valued in the hopes of accomplishing our goal. For more information, please contact Dee Goldfarb at 440.708.2842.

Support Services

Family Support Group
This group is open to all family members of patients active with the Psychobiology Clinic. The purpose is to provide education about serious and persistent mental illnesses, and to provide support through sharing and discussion with others. Topics addressed include the nature of the illnesses in question and the range of treatments available to assist the patient to function in the community in the least restrictive environment possible. Information on the insurance and government systems with which patients interact will also be available as the leader assists the families in accessing formal supports within the community. A variety of educational materials, such as reading lists, guest speakers and handouts are utilized.

Pooled Disability Trust Fund

The Pooled Disability Trust Program allows families and friends to establish a trust fund for their disabled loved one without jeopardizing entitlements and services. A special needs trust is a written legal document which sets out terms and legal arrangements, where property (such as money or life insurance) is transferred into an account for future use.

Pooled Trusts are called "pooled" because the trust funds for several beneficiaries are pooled for purposes of investment. However, a separate account must be maintained for each beneficiary. Money from this trust can only be used for supplemental services, such as recreational items, as outlined by the federal government. Pooled trust arrangements are common in several states. Initial investments can be low and anyone with a permanent disability may be a beneficiary of the trust.

For more information please contact: Kathy Leb, Family Advocacy and Support Service Coordinator at 216. 378.3564.

Lifetime Planning